Russia may ask foreigners to sign a 'loyalty pledge' to enter

Under new regulations being drafted by the interior ministry, foreigners visiting Russia may be forced to sign a “loyalty agreement” upon arrival, promising not to criticise Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine. In anticipation of the 2024 presidential election, which is predicted to extend President Vladimir Putin’s tenure until at least 2030, Russia has launched an unparalleled campaign of repression against opposition. According to the state-run TASS news agency, the action would force outsiders to abide by stringent restrictions prohibiting criticism of the crisis in Ukraine and to refrain from making favourable remarks about the LGBTQ community. The foreign citizen would “agree, by entering Russia, to comply with prohibitions established with the aim of protecting the national interests of Russia,” according to TASS, which cited a draught document. The individual would promise not to “discredit the Russian Federation’s foreign and domestic state policy in any way.” In accordance with Russian law, the foreign national would also refrain from “distorting the historical truth” of the Soviet Union’s involvement in World War II and desist from disclosing information on LGBTQ relationships to the public. The document will shortly be presented to the Duma, the lower chamber of parliament in Russia. It did not specify the type of penalties that would be imposed on anyone who violated the agreement. At a press briefing on Wednesday, the Kremlin declined to comment on the potential new regulations. A significant portion of foreigners living in Russia are migrants from Central Asia, who have also been the focus of military recruitment campaigns for the conflict in Ukraine. Following Moscow’s offensive in February of last year, a large number of Westerners departed Russia. Since strong censorship rules were implemented, Western media in Russia has drastically lowered its presence in Moscow out of concern for the security of its employees. Under harsh censorship regulations, Russia has penalised hundreds of its own citizens for criticising the offensive in Ukraine.